| Preparation for Birth | Positions | 2nd Stage Labor | 3rd Stage Labor | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Good nutrition
• Strength, energy, stamina, healthy muscles & bones Regular physical exercise • Strength & stamina
How does having good nutrition and getting regular physical exercise help women to prepare to give birth?
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Squatting
What position can be used to increase the outlet of the pelvis by more than 10%?
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• Keep knees back and elbows up and out
• Push only as strongly as your body tells you to • Be willing to wait a couple more contractions • Massage perineum w/olive oil • Warm compresses on perineum • Remind doctor or midwife at birth •Ease baby out
What are two things that can be done during second stage labor to help decrease the need for an episiotomy and the likelihood of a tear?
|
5-45 minutes generally.
How long may it take for the placenta to be born?
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Anywhere from 2 to 3 days to a week.
When does a mother’s milk come in?
|
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Frequent pelvic rocking
• Tones & conditions abdominal muscles • Gives baby room to move and adjust position • Increases mobility of pelvic Regular kegels • A strong muscle helps keep baby’s chin to chest • Less pain for the mother • Less likely to tear
How do the following pregnancy exercises help women to prepare for birth (please give one answer for each): Frequent pelvic rocking, regular kegels, and lots of squatting?
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Flat on the back/Supine
Which position is most commonly used in hospitals, but may also be the most difficult to give birth in?
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• She feels like she is going to have a bowel movement
• She says “I have to push!” • She grunts at the peak of her contractions • She becomes very uncomfortable and can’t relax (pushing feels better at this point)
What are two ways that the mother or coach might recognize the urge to push?
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Physical: Releases oxytocin which helps to contract the uterus, expelling the placenta and shrinking the uterus back to its normal size.
Emotional: Enhances bonding and comforts mother and baby.
What is the physical and emotional importance of putting the baby to the breast immediately after birth?
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In the beginning, as often as every 20 minutes to 2 or 3 hours.
On average, how often do newborn babies nurse?
|
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• Plenty of squatting
• Lots of kegels • Good nutrition including fats & oils • Plenty of light & air to the perineum • No soap on perineum • Lotion & massage if desired • Discuss with doctor or midwife in advance
What are two things that can be done during pregnancy to help decrease the need for an episiotomy and the likelihood of a tear?
|
• Squatting, full (coach in front or beside)
• Squatting, modified (coach beside or behind) • Hands & knees • Side-lying w/top leg pulled up • Asymmetric position • Standing (w/swing or coach behind for support) • Toilet • Birthing stool •Birth Tub
Tell me four positions or pushing aids that the mother can use during second stage labor
(SW 46-47). |
• Opens legs, less stress on the perineum
• Keeps baby in proper alignment w/pelvis, increases intra-abdominal pressure making each push more effective • Shortens birth canal and assures proper alignment of baby.
There are three things the mother can do to control pain and increase the effectiveness of each push. Tell me why each of the following is important: Knees back w/elbows up and out, chin on chest, and keeping a curved spine (no arched back).
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Not if the umbilical cord is left unclamped or uncut. The umbilical cord continues to supply the baby with oxygen and nutrients for a short time. It also helps to regulate the amount of blood in the baby’s system.
Is it necessary for the baby to breath right away after it is born? Why or why not?
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• Healthier baby
• Healthier mother • Less crying • Baby smells better • Diapers smell better • More sleep • Saves money
Tell me three advantages of breastfeeding for the father.
|
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Various pushing positions so you know the choices available (SW 46-47). Remember that positions feel different after the baby moves down, so it is important to be familiar with the options.
What should the mother and coach become familiar with and practice at least once so that they can be comfortable and confident when it is time to push?
|
• A sense of fullness
• Pressure • Burning – “Ring of fire” • Baby moving down • Release – birth climax
As the baby descends through the birth canal and emerges, the mother may feel many different sensations. What are two of them?
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• Assist mother into a comfortable position
• Help her move between contractions • Encourage & praise her • Remind her to relax completely between contractions • Give her ice chips, sips of water, a cool cloth • Take pictures if desired
What are three things that the coach is responsible for during second stage?
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• Put the baby to her breast to trigger oxytocin production
• Gently push when she feels the placenta in her birth canal
What may the mother do to help expel the placenta?
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No. The infection is in the breast, not the milk. Most women find that the infection goes away sooner if they continue to nurse on both sides.
If you develop an infection on one side, do you need to stop breastfeeding on that breast until the infection is cleared up?
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• Learn how your body works & how to work with it
• Exercise regularly, Good nutrition, Drink lots of water, Kegel throughout pregnancy • Know positions so you can find best one for you • Use only the muscles you need & relax the rest •Good Communication
What are two things that can be done ahead of time to help avoid unnecessary pain in second stage?
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• Helps restore circulation
• Realigns organs • Expels blood clots, if any
List two reasons why walking soon after the birth is important.
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• She should not assist the push by holding her breath and putting her chin to her chest.
• She can tilt her head back and talk, sing, or breathe through contractions. • Her uterus will push with or without her help, and the baby may be coming quickly.
What could you do if the mother has an overwhelming urge to push but is not completely dilated?
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• Replaces fluids lost during birth
• Replenishes potassium – a lack can cause dizziness or fainting • Raises blood sugar level • Replaces energy used in labor • Tastes good
Tell me two reasons that the mother should drink orange juice after the baby is born.
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300-500 calories. She should eat a healthy diet similar to her pregnancy diet (the Brewer pregnancy diet) with lots of fluids.
How many extra calories does a nursing mother use each day while breastfeeding and what kind of diet does she need?
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